Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1995                   TAG: 9504060024
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PICHE'S IS HISTORY FOR NOW, BUT NEW EATERY POSSIBLE

Claude Piche has been gone for a year as partner of the Brandon Avenue restaurant that once bore his name but now is called Jimmy V's. But the man, whose colorful career includes playing professional ice hockey, could wind up operating still another Piche's.

Jimmy V's is named for James Volosin, who was a partner in the restaurant with Piche for more than 16 years.

Piche said Volosin bought his share and has operated the restaurant on his own for more than a year.

Piche said the right to use the old name, Piche's, will revert to him in October under their contract.

Volosin said he could have kept the old name for two years, but decided to make the change to coincide with publication of the new telephone directories. He said the year he has owned the restaurant gave him time to buy the property and expand the menu.

"It's my restaurant," Volosin said. "I wanted to put my name on it."

Piche said he got out of the business because he had worked mornings, afternoons, nights and weekends for more than 16 years. Before that, he spent 10 years playing professional hockey for the old Roanoke Valley Rebels on nights and weekends. He said he was burned out.

In addition, he said, "a mom-and-pop operation" such as the one he and Volosin ran has a hard time competing for staff with the restaurant chains. He said a small, independent restaurant cannot match the wages and benefits of the franchise operations.

Even so, he may get back into the restaurant business. Piche said about a dozen investors have made "tempting" offers to open another Piche's after Oct. 1. If he accepts, he said, he would work limited hours and then only for a year.

Right now, Piche calls himself a personal car shopper, traveling to major wholesale auctions throughout the country to buy specific cars for clients. He and a partner, Jim Williamson, own the Auto Center Inc. of Roanoke at Peters Creek and Hershberger roads. Although the job requires him to be out of town a lot, Piche said he is happy to be home on weekends.